Contrary
by Silverwing013
Summary: Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.
1. Teachers are stupid (Data)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Sneaking back into the school building as Phantom, Danny grabbed the forgotten textbook out of Tucker's locker and grinned after he flew by the teacher's staff room. Zipping in, he hastily went invisible as he realized the teachers were still there on a Friday night. An old belief flickered through Danny's head jokily. Teachers really don't have a life outside of the classroom. Although, Mr. Lancer looked just as bored as Danny felt during history class, writing in the sides of his notebook instead of listening to the discussion of school promoted scholarships for the seniors. He silently chuckled at the image of his teacher as an inattentive young student, daydreaming and doodling.

The young half ghost then paled upon seeing the outlined points of the staff meeting up on the board. Curiosity killed the cat, not Danny, well at least not fully, so the boy stayed in the staff meeting a bit longer. When the next outlined point was reached, his eyes felt sharper and he straightened into full attention no class could ever manage anymore. Mr. Lancer stifled a yawn and the current student recognized what his teacher was doing as he casually drifted his hand over what he had been writing. When the up to date percentage was stated, Danny blinked in surprise.

He hadn't realized his excuse of using the restroom when bailing from a classroom to 'go ghost' was quite so high.


	2. Manson isn't richer than us

Contrary to what her friends thought, most the A-Listers already know about Sam's financial status.

* * *

"Your parents are still on the allowance thing? How lame," Paulina pouted. At the mirror, Star continued pulling at her hair and turning her head as she played around with the blonde strands. She stood straighter and stood behind Star in the mirror, batting her eyes. Her friend scowled, but Paulina took over her mirror to make sure she was still gorgeous, and then leaned next to her window with the phone. "My _papa_ would never dream of taking funds away from my _Quinceanera_."

"Yeah well, they're out to prove the importance of spending wisely. I got the whole partay set up, I just don't have enough left for the outfits we agreed on," Dash explained.

"Then just change the outfit. Ugh," she made a noise of disgust and turned away from the window. She did not need to see that hideous purple spider outside of school too. "Manson is such a loser."

Star peeked over from braiding her hair and nodded. "Like totally. What is she doing around this side of town?"

"The reason why she's such a loser. Your party would never be in jeopardy if she acted like the rest of us."

Irritated, Dash snipped at her, "Why are we talking about those losers?"

"The Manson loser walked by to her house."

"What?" Star shouted. The girl spun away from the mirror, half done braid coming free. "She lives here? Manson…she's part of Mr. and Mrs. Fifties family?"

"_Si_," Paulina answered gravely. "Their darling little Samantha. Such a travesty. Well, the whole family's wardrobe style aside, they're the richest in town. Style can be ignored, can be eccentric, but Manson grew up into such a freak loser. Our parents are all friends, we stayed nice to her, but she would have none of it."

"Quit reminding me," Dash snapped through the phone. Paulina scrunched her nose at that. She didn't like remembering Manson was above them all financially either. No one talked about the Manson issue. The loser at least had never gone out to steal the popularity of them though, so Paulina could care little what the freak did. But pity. If Manson wasn't such a freak loser, Dash's party wouldn't be having this issue.

Star's hanging mouth closed.

"So are we just going for a usual party rather than sporting cool threads," Paulina asked. She rolled her eyes at the wall. She wasn't the one who came up with that word choice.

"Uh, how about you keep it cheap and make it loser threads," Star piped in. The blonde girl shrugged at the idea, leaving it as a suggestion.

"Oh! Stick it to that freak loser! Loser threads!" Slyly, she added in for the win. "Didn't you say Danny was invited? Perfect loser party accessory…and I know for a fact his sister isn't even coming."


	3. Teachers are stupid (One)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny made it a thing to keep poking his head into the weekly teacher meetings. He found out there were statistics on Tucker and Sam as well, but they were typically ignored due to how low their percentages of missing in action during a ghost attack were. Danny supposed it made sense; they had to cover for his own disappearances. He was just glad they seemed to be ignored. Valerie made the list with him too after a few weeks of being the Red Huntress. To his surprise, he found Mr. Lancer had the most statistics on him and those involved in that red notebook of his, however, he contributed the least to the rest of the teachers. It was a jolt to him when he figured that part out after several months of his weekly visits.

Oddly enough, he also found Mr. Lancer was the only teacher who still allowed him to use the restroom excuse. He'd had to come up with various other excuses for everyone else, but had yet to change his excuse for Mr. Lancer. Sam noticed several weeks after him. She brought it up to him and he brushed it off, continuing to use the restroom excuse. Sam told Tucker, which caused some concern, but they tried hiding it from him since Danny shrugged it off and just went with it. Danny felt a bit more trusting of his bald teacher for some odd reason. He knew he was being monitored the closest by the older man, but it filled his chest up with something significant when week after week Mr. Lancer did not speak up on any of his extra statistics to the other teachers.

In a weird way, he felt like Mr. Lancer had his back. But was also fully aware Mr. Lancer would totally call him out on it if it all went to hell.


	4. Citizens always flee ghost towns (New)

Contrary to reputation and citizens always fleeing from ghost towns, Amity Park was a nice place to live.

* * *

After hours of riding in the cramped trail blazer, it was nice to get out and move. At the same time, the scowling brunette thought sourly, moving wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Her parents had put her to work while chatting next door with their new neighbors. Stiff muscles and hefty boxes didn't mix and she missed her friends. At least she liked meeting new people. It was just very difficult for her to get past pleasantries.

It wasn't as though she'd be making friends fast enough to help with these boxes.

"Beware, for I am the Box Ghost!"

"Oh um, hi," she greeted back. Shuffling the large box around in her hands, she had difficulty seeing the other person and wasn't willing to lose her grip on the box marked 'Kitchen China'. The other guy was a bit odd, but the preteen could live with that. "So, you're good with making boxes, uh, fly quickly inside then? I'm not so fast to say I can make them fly in like a ghost, but I can be Box Tortoise. Ya'know, like the story with slow and steady winning the race? I'm sorry I can't greet you properly with my hands full and face covered, but can you help me carry them in?"

The owner of the other voice was silent, but then responded, "The Box Ghost accepts your challenge Tortoise! I will make all these boxes fly to the house!"

"Oh great!" She shrugged her shoulder back toward the moving van, hoping the other guy could see. Pausing at the open front door, she directed whoever the guy was in where the other moving boxes were at. "You can grab one of the ones still in the van while I keep carrying this one in, okay?"

Setting her box down inside, the brunette turned back and blinked at the line of boxes literally floating across the yard. Exiting the house, she watched the line of boxes go in one by one inside. Bending down, she waved a hand underneath a box to find only air.

"There is no way Danny is going to believe me when I tell him this."

The brunette jumped at the voice, turning to see an older gothic girl wearing plaid watching the boxes with wide eyes. "Uh, hi."

"What did you do?"

The preteen jumped again at the demanding voice. "Um, I didn't do anything. That guy seems to be doing this. I only asked for him to help me carry them in, since he referred to himself as 'Box Ghost'. I thought he could carry them quickly, like flying them in, a figure of speech, but I um didn't really think he'd actually fly them in."

The older girl blinked and then laughed. "Welcome to Amity Park."

"A nice place to live," the preteen added in. She rolled her eyes. It was how her parents kept trying to sell the place to her, so that she would accept the new hometown.

"Yeah, sure, that too." The other girl waved off the town slogan and shook her head. She grinned, and then pushed an odd metallic earpiece thing. "Hey guys, I'm going to join the welcome party for the new move-ins and help the Box Ghost carry their stuff in."

The earpiece exploded with several different voices, but the older girl muted it and turned with a large grin. "So what's your name anyway?"

"That is the Box Tortoise! Tortoise is slow and steady with the boxes, but beware! For I am the Box Ghost! That box there is mine human!"

The older girl moved to pick up a different non-floating box from the blazer, mirth in her face. "Sorry. I'll take this one then."

A blue almost see through man rose up even higher from the box he was behind, eyes narrowed. "That is acceptable. But all boxes from the box vehicle are mine! Beware!"

The preteen gawked at the blue man, who disappeared back inside the moving van, boxes continuing to fly out and follow the hovering trail to her new house. Three other teens raced up, watching the boxes with the same stunned looks.

"Hey guys," the gothic girl greeted them. "Come to help? This is Box Tortoise. She asked the Box Ghost for help in carrying in the boxes and he's helping. I'm gunna call you Tory for short, 'kay?"

"Uh, sure?"

"You're permitting him to act on his obsession?" The girl with red hair asked. "Fascinating! He's not being a nuisance if he's allowed."

The dark skinned boy grabbed a box from the trail blazer, snickering. "Dude, I'm so signing him up on the welcoming committee now."

"Tucker," the other boy hissed.

"What? I'm mayor and our town claims to be a nice place to live. Hey Boxy! Do you want to be allowed to fly in boxes for anyone moving in?"

"The Box Ghost accepts your proposal!"

The teens spun about to glare the one who claimed to be the mayor.

"TUCKER!"


	5. Teachers are stupid (Routine)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny began thanking the harried teacher. Sure, Sam and Tucker may have looked at him funny, but he shrugged it off. He continued thanking Mr. Lancer at the end of a crazy class, crazy of the Fenton/Phantom variety, for allowing him to use the restroom and for the good class lesson. Mr. Lancer would raise his eyebrow at him, make a crack at ghosts destroying his lesson plans and remind Danny of the homework.

It was awesome.

Danny always missed the homework in the entire hullabaloo. And while his friends met him at the end of such a class, sprinting more like, they didn't share this classroom in the second semester. Hullaballo aside, class continued, unless the fight entered. With his concern on keeping everyone safe, most fights at school were led outside. He knew fights were noticed, the teacher meeting he continued secretly attending told him that, but he wasn't entirely sure how the teachers kept the students focused on class. There was a fight and not just a normal one, a ghostly one. How did the teachers do it? It wasn't exactly a mystery Danny would solve seeing how he couldn't be in two places at once. Yet.

But, because of Mr. Lancer, Danny finally had a class he never missed the homework assignments for and he loved it. After the loss of normalcy and faced with nearly failing his classes time and time again, being able to have all his assignments for at least one was amazing. It really wasn't something he could really describe to his friends when they asked, but they began putting more effort into getting all of his assignments if at all possible. Danny knew that was annoying; he had long forgone dashing about to bother all of his teachers every single day. Most were feed up. They told him to pay attention and give effort rather than telling him the assignments. Thus, grades were not what they used to be and he refused to face his dreams of being an astronaut disappearing little by little with every Phantom appearance.

Mr. Lancer became someone he chit chatted with nearly every day. Danny found himself liking the man, even if he favored sport jocks too much at times. Conversations with this teacher compared to every other adult were normal and filled up with a dry humor that got him smiling.

But every now and then, Mr. Lancer would furrow his eyebrows down in concern, asking if he was okay. The young half ghost would pull back and assure the man he was. Sometimes Danny found himself admitting he was just a bit sore or he just had a bruise when the look did not disappear. Those weren't things he admitted to Sam and Tucker later. But he took caution and the first chance to leave the conversation.

When signing up for classes for the following school year, Danny went for a couple more that he knew Mr. Lancer taught, even though they were of the English variety more than Math and Science that he needed for being an astronaut, which he still signed up for. He never thought he'd go for additional English classes when he started at Casper High School.

His gut clenched at the last teacher meeting. The teachers of the extra Math and Science classes Danny had signed up for were horror struck. The balding teacher had then dryly told them they only needed to state assignments again before Danny left for his next class, stating the young Mr. Fenton would be fine if they did that. Then Mr. Lancer shook his head, sighing, repeating again how Danny would be fine.

And Danny, who had loved the feel of normal in knowing his assignments and passing Mr. Lancer's classes, suddenly felt the sting of disappointment laced in the teacher's voice and wished the helpful tip to his future teachers was never spoken.


	6. Only Danny forgot

Contrary to what Dash thought, Danny wasn't the only one who forgot.

* * *

Filled with a childish glee, Kwan's best friend spun about merrily. "I get to give Fenton a lesson! Teach him the real meaning of true speed! He won't forget **_that_** I'm sure!"

"Uh, right." Blinking rapidly, Kwan tried to not become dizzy from Dash twirling about in the chair. Spin, spin, spin. All while giggling to himself. It was concerning, even with Danny being the one involved. "What is this about?"

With a slam of feet, Dash abruptly stopped his motion to stare at Kwan in disbelief. "Whaddya mean? What is this about? Everyone knows why I hate Fentino after October 3rd of 7th grade! This one was the final nail on Fentoadies coffin that day!"

"Right, right."

The blonde went back to spinning about in his chair and Kwan went back to trying not to get dizzy. Star had asked him a couple weeks ago about his best friend's fixation on Danny while they had been on their late night walk alone, but he had no answer for it. Kwan knew Dash made sure whenever something went wrong, Danny was first to know and be blamed for it. It also infuriated the blonde that the other forgot what horrible thing he did, making Danny even more a target.

Propping his head up with his hand, Kwan watched as Dash listed off several conditioning exercises he was planning to use for his training of Danny in gym class. It sounded more of the typical kind of his best friend making the kid suffer again. His friends had good qualities, but he never went out of his way for this type of thing. It actually annoyed Kwan.

But he had a feeling if he informed Dash that it wasn't just Danny, it was everyone who had no idea of what the kid did…well…

Danny was a target of everything wrong in Dash's life.

So Kwan didn't ask what happened, faking that he knew all about the famous October 3rd as he began listing off the more basic conditioning exercises to influence his best friend to go easy on Danny. After all, the plotting blonde had all day with the poor kid.

"Right! I don't want him too fast after all!" Dash stopped spinning as he realized this loudly. "I'm still the fastest in the school after all."

"Yeah," Kwan agreed easily. "Right ahead of Sam."

Dash's face turned an interesting shade of red. Kwan lifted his head curiously.

"True meaning of speed here, Dash Baxter! Right Kwan." Dash slapped a fist into his hand. "I'll show Fenton and he won't ever forget it!"

Relaxing again, Kwan zoned out as he watched his best friend happily rambling and spinning. He jerked his head back up and looked at Dash carefully, who still continued gleeful plans for Danny tomorrow.

Didn't Sam beat Dash's time on the mile run a few years ago?


	7. Teachers are stupid (Ambition)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers at Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

The young half ghost spent more than a few times that summer bothered by how Mr. Lancer's words were spoken. But when the teacher greeted him first class of Sophomore year, there was a confidence in his voice of how this year would be better and an optimism Danny found catching. Hope refilled him and he strove to put his best foot forward, then keeping it there. He would earn his good grades this year. He became and gotten used to being Phantom last year, of course grades suffered. He could do it this year.

The hope didn't last and Danny finally understood as he saw the light leave Mr. Lancer's eyes and a frustration take over them both in his grades slowly slipping. They were decent grades. Nothing was wrong with them. They were fine. But Danny could be better than fine.

So much for his goal of schoolwork he was proud of for this school year. Any claim of remaining the least bit normal slowly left Danny. Normal had left a long time ago for a Fenton, especially him. A few assignments began being late every now and again in several classes, then finally, the first late assignment turned into Mr. Lancer.

When he finally found the nerve to apologize to Mr. Lancer about not being able to do better, Danny was a firsthand witness to the teacher being struck silent. Then, the man admitted something Danny was sure hurt the teacher to admit. That he didn't know how else to help Danny succeed academically and help him reach his goal of someday becoming an astronaut.

Mr. Lancer said how much he looked forward to having him as a student after Jazz told him how smart and driven her little brother was to reach his goal. The older man had paused and then Danny was struck completely dumb. Mr. Lancer checked the hallway and leaned close, stating he was worried if he should be concerned if Danny's goals had changed.

Scared and paranoid, fearing what the teacher was suggesting, Danny managed to shake his head in the negative before racing off. He didn't discuss it with Tucker and Sam, they still didn't know about the teacher meetings. But, in his panic, he did yell at his older sister for telling Mr. Lancer stuff about him. Which then she said something thoroughly embarrassing about him being her little brother and she was proud of him.


	8. Her classmate was dead

Contrary to the majority, Maddie believed Vlad was still alive.

* * *

"This is ridiculous," the Fenton matriarch nearly shouted.

Grumbling, she shifted boxes and attempted to fit the one in her hand inside the small hallway closet. Pushing the door, she heard a crunch, wincing at the sound. Still crunching loudly in the early morning, she shoved until the door clicked shut. Fishing out the key from her pocket, Maddie locked it.

It was a great thing no one used the hallway closet, preferring to remove coats wherever was handy or inside their rooms. She really had no concerns on anyone trying to get into the closet, but the time had come that it was no longer an option. Tomorrow would call for a new place to begin hiding the boxes.

A thudding of feet marked the downstairs entrance of her son and she smiled as he came around the corner. Danny beamed back, giving his morning greeting, and ducked his head in embarrassment as she took the moment to kiss his forehead. Maddie smiled again. He still let her do it.

Mother and son walked into the kitchen.

He eyed her carefully and she nearly laughed at his caution. After all this time, he still worried about ecto infected food. Humming to herself, she started up the stove and got out the eggs. Heading over to the fridge himself, Danny pulled out the orange juice. She watched him pour two glasses and found her mind wandering over the breakfast not in the room.

Just how many times did he call Vlad a fruit loop?

Brows furrowed down, Danny turned to look at her and Maddie froze as she realized she had asked the question out loud.

"I don't know," he slowly replied. "Why do you want to know?"

She laughed nervously. "No reason honey. I was only thinking out loud."

"Oh," Danny responded. He seemed a little put off by her answer and Maddie sharpened her gaze on the youngest Fenton. It was pain and regret, confusion and sadness. She itched, understanding the sadness for how Vlad took his choices and they had been many choices Danny himself had to endure with the uniqueness that forever linked her college classmate and her son. It wasn't a link Maddie liked much, it was clear her son turned in on himself every time the man was brought up. Yet it was Jazz he felt comfortable talking with about the topic of Vlad, so she hadn't pushed.

Maddie had done everything she could to avoid pushing Danny about that particular…person.

So certain daily deliveries were kept hidden. And it wasn't the newspaper.

She feared Vlad was still alive. He was certainly still very much alive in Danny's heart.

"A lot, I lost track." Mother turned to see Danny carefully speaking not to her, but to his plate of scrambled eggs, moving them around with his fork. "He threa—said he'd pay me back for every time that I said it. He never did."

When Danny left the house, Maddie watched him go. Red shoes crunched as they went. She went still. He looked back at her, catching the hitch in her farewells and reminders. She smiled at him, he sent one back, then spun on his heel to head out. The front door shut and Maddie looked down at the rainbow crumbs scattering the floor, fruit loops that had fallen from crunched box and hallway door.

"This is ridiculous."

Long past understanding why she let the man reside in her house and mind, trying to hide it from her son, Maddie thought of the empty storage box down in the basement. It felt wrong to throw them out. She could feel that sadness creeping up. What had happened to Vlad was her fault, she failed to keep trying and remain by his side as a friend, not realizing what they had done. Cut off from family and successfully pushing away his only friends, he had become lonesome and vengeful. His prized tenacity that all at the college respected him for became twisted and drove him to something Maddie found hard to swallow from the young man he used to be, cherishing his few relationships so strongly.

It was he who ate up her insides, eating away slowly.

Everyday, he was brought to the forefront of her mind and to front door with a cheerfully bright delivery. Nothing of the tangled thoughts circulating about Vlad were cheerful or bright.

Most of all, Maddie hated herself, not for her part of Vlad's accident and their past; but she hated herself for how her son blamed himself for not being able to turn Vlad back into that young man she had so strongly admired.

Alive or not, Vlad remained the same, clinging to the last relationship he cherished.

Maddie swept up the rainbow crumbs.


	9. Teachers are stupid (Yield)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers at Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

After the rest of sophomore year finished, Danny refusing to enter into idle chit chat with a growingly irritated Mr. Lancer, the trio of friends actually enjoyed the last day of school. Many times, days Danny used to fully enjoy were destroyed by ghosts, but so far, this last day of school was not one and holding up well. Dash and Kwan were even too excited to bother with him and his friends. Not to mention Danny's grades were one grade higher at the end of this year compared to freshman year. It was a good celebrating day. He, Tucker, and Sam made plans to fully end the day well with heading over to Nasty Burger that night.

Then, instead of taking off home with Jazz's offered drive back, his meddling older sister somehow steered him into the library and he found Mr. Lancer standing inside waiting. Ignoring his scowl, she told him off for how he had behaving with a teacher and that he should fix things before summer, preaching the typical line of how much teachers care. Yeah, right. Teachers ignored him unless he was giving an excuse to leave the classroom. And if it wasn't for Mr. Lancer, his teachers this year wouldn't have bothered to repeat the homework assignments for him. He glowered over at the bald man, reminding himself he wasn't supposed to know that.

Without a word, Mr. Lancer held up a worn one subject notebook Danny recognized from the red cover and he paled. It was the same one the older man scribbled things about him and the others involved with ghost stuff in Amity Park. Biding him to come forward, the man opened to the first page and Danny cautiously looked at the statistics and side notes, longer than any bits he caught during the teacher meetings. Carefully, he slowly flipped through the pages hunkering down and avoiding eye contact the whole time. It was all about him, Valerie, Sam, Tucker, Jazz, even a couple small notes on Paulina. Danny noticed portions of the side notes had been scribbled out, recognizing it as the area Mr. Lancer oh-so-casually covered during the meetings.

The man fixed his grip on the notebook, holding the page down. Danny hastily pulled his hand back from flipping through it. He swallowed, refusing to look at the older man, trying to figure out how to lie out of this, to make sure he still had some sort of a handle on how things in his life were, that nothing was revealed and blown up to—

Danny looked up automatically at the sound of his name.

Mr. Lancer flipped over to the next page, the very last page. Rather than statistics that covered a month or so, this last page had statistics covering over the last year. The first one had the percentage of ghost attacks occurring whenever Danny left a classroom. A full 96% of the time. The next line stated the percentage of times Phantom showed up whenever Danny left the classroom. Same percentage. And a notation that it was 100% that Phantom showed whenever a ghost attack happened when Danny left the classroom.

Ah crud. Crud, crud, crud!

Somehow Danny didn't think Mr. Lancer believed he was avoiding the ghosts to avoid living in the same reputation his parents had.

Biting his lip, the teacher handed the notebook over to Danny, and informed the boy he could keep it. Baffled, Danny stared up at the man. Calmly, Mr. Lancer pointed to the back of the notebook where an address and telephone number was listed. He couldn't mean that he wanted Danny to…visit or call or something weird like that?

But the whole situation was weird. Teachers were supposed to be stupid about things. Especially their students. And exponentially so when that teacher was a complete laughing stock to so many here.

"I just help Phantom," Danny burst out before he bolted.

He flew to piss off forever butting in and interfering Jazz rather than taking her up on her drive back after what she did. Okay, honestly, he was so perturbed he had just raced home as fast as he could and forgot about the offer, but Danny was still going to get back at his older sister as much as he could possibly could.

It wasn't until he got home that he realized that he still had Mr. Lancer's notebook. Something in him broke at the sight of the evidence and what it meant or will mean. Not wanting to deal with it, Danny shoved it into the back of his messy desk drawer.


	10. Trouble always starts with Sam

Contrary to trouble with Danny always starting with Sam, Tucker had been around far longer.

* * *

Snorting giggles broke across the classroom. Threats followed, breaking the previous quiet noise of pens across paper. Marking his page in the book, Mr. Taylor looked up to see the two guilty looking faces of the best friends in this period.

Dash and Mikey were currently in agreement of something, both not happy at the pair of friends. One was more annoyed at the pair in general all the time, while the other was more on taking the matter of the future more seriously, but Mr. Taylor smiled in amusement at the brief agreement between them.

Then he called out the pair. "Tucker and Danny. Anything you wish to share?"

Danny stashed the piece of notebook paper under his pencil case, pursing his lips to hold in the laughter burning his face red. The boy shook his head.

Bright and beaming, Tucker threw his arm up. "I have a question A.J. I was just asking Danny about it too."

Mr. Taylor stared at each boy carefully, each one looking ready to crack up into laughter. Others in the classroom didn't look nearly as amused. Finally, he decided. "No Tucker. I'll go over the sample job applications when you turn them in. Fill them out as best you can, up to date and as truthfully as possible."

If anything, Tucker grinned wider. "Thanks A.J. That answers it anyway."

And then the boy covered his mouth and poked at Danny next to him. Tucker whispered at him, "Walker counts". Danny tried not to look, but shared a snicker with his friend. Dash looked ready to get up and do something about it this time, until both turned and began scribbling as quickly as they could in the last few minutes of class.

Sighing, Mr. Taylor thumped his head onto his desk on top of the pair of sample job applications he glanced at first. The first questionable sign had been with the language section, both boys putting Esperanto.

But the teacher stopped upon noticing what Tucker and Danny had down to the criminal record section. Both boys marked any convictions as a yes, but their explanations of the nature and location of the offenses is what led Mr. Taylor's head to the desk. Charged for a thousand years with bringing in contraband items, trespassing, and leading/assisting a prison escape from Ghost Zone…

Faintly, he could hear their laughter out in the crowded hallway.

"You can't put that on a job application," their female friend's voice shrieked out. The pair of boys laughed louder. "Walker doesn't count! Are you two crazy?"

"Do you think I can work the bad boy image for the ladies?"

"Tucker! Be serious! Danny! I can't believe you put that down!"

Sighing, Mr. Taylor marked both boys sample applications for his career class with a bright red pen, attaching a new job form with a paperclip for the pair to do over.


	11. Teachers are stupid (Predicament)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

It took several weeks before Danny ran across a certain bald man once more. But still far too many weeks before Danny expected to. His parents were replacing the kitchen table; they had dragged him along to have him help choose a new and sturdier one. Apparently, and unfortunately, Mr. Lancer was searching for a new bookcase.

Parents and teacher who knew too much.

In the same place.

Talking.

Overly panicked, Danny wanted to leave, but his parents were cheerfully talking to Mr. Lancer and he desperately needed to know what this particular teacher would say to them. Silently, Danny sent a plea to get out of this. Overshadowing and weirdness was too precarious to get the adults separated, because he didn't know what his teacher thought he knew about the Phantom connection. He knew his life was never that easy. So Danny stuck close to his parents, watching and listening to every word carefully.

That is until he gasped and the Box Ghost attacked.

Both his parents rushed to action and the entire store went nuts. And it was the Box Ghost. He wasn't strong, but he was resilient and kept coming back. The annoying ghost had actually improved over time with hiding and being able to avoid attacks.

He groaned.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Problems Mr. Fenton?"

Danny jolted, forgetting in his panic that Mr. Lancer was still standing there. Unfortunately, this garnered the attention of the Box Ghost in their direction. The ghost gleefully shouted his usual, and then threw a box containing a Hartman oak side table with a shelf at them. Shrieking, Mr. Lancer dove under the kitchen table with Danny. The table held up.

"That's it. Shopping's over. I choose this table for my crazy ghost obsessed parents," he declared. Mr. Lancer guffawed a bit, nerves making it a bit higher.


	12. Grandmothers adhere to the rules

Contrary to the rules of the house, Ida Manson never followed them.

* * *

It was during a flight over to Sam's house, Tucker complaining the entire way per usual, when Danny let out an unexpected gasp of air. Halting, he hovered over the Manson perfectly manicured lawn. Typically the ghosts entered his residence or made trouble at areas filled with many people, like the school or Nasty Burger. If anything concerned one of his friends, it was never at their place of residence.

"I don't see any ghosts man," Tucker spoke up. "Can we just get to Sam's room instead of dangling me like a piece of taunting meat for whatever it is? I do better with both feet on the ground."

Whirling gears sounded, quickly coming closer to them. Danny gripped tighter on Tucker. "Snag a hold of the thermos," he hissed out quickly. Awkward at the position, the dark hands fumbled about for Danny's hip for the specially made container.

Then something shot across the yard under them, glowing green. Zooming after, not away from it, was a shiny device being driven by a hooting grandmother.

"Uhh…"

With a whoop and a holler, Sam's grandmother twirled around behind the speck of glowing green as it suddenly started going in circles directly below where the two boys hovered.

"Um…is that…?"

The small glowing green ghost looked up, and then pleased at seeing them there.

"Uh, yeah, I think it is."

Yapping and spinning in circles under them, the small ghost dog jumped up and down in excitement. The pair stared, still trying to comprehend the fact that the Manson of no-god-awful-smelling-and-noisy-troublesome-pets-in-our-house and of we-do-not-accept-your-relationship-with-the-ghost-obsessed-family-of-Fentons…now had a ghost dog at their house.

Bending down, the dog tensed up, ready to spring up and fly to them.

"Get your squeaky."

And the tiny thing immediately forgot about them and tore away. Skidding past, the dog snagged a squeak toy lying in the grass and bolted straight at Sam's grandmother. Leaping up onto her lap, he dropped the toy.

"Good boy."

"Mother," a voice called out. "Where are you?"

Ida Manson scowled, but grinned at the green furball on her lap. "Hide Cujo." With a lick at her hand, the ghost dog went invisible. "Good boy."

Danny and Tucker watched the scene from up above, still baffled completely into silence. Yet somehow…Cujo's new master made complete sense.


	13. Teachers are stupid (Privy)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Danny fought to hold back as he watched the current battle between his parents and ghost. And it wasn't that his parents were not good at their job, but the Box Ghost was better at avoiding and his father was going a bit overboard. They were all still inside with people running around. Danny itched to speed up the process and get the Box Ghost out.

Mr. Lancer cleared his throat. Instincts up from the ongoing fight and what this man might know, Danny turned his head with the best poker face he could manage.

"It's enough to scare the crap out of someone, isn't it Mr. Fenton?"

Spoken as dryly, calmly, and matter-of-factly as it was from an adult to a kid, it took Danny a few seconds to realize what was just said. What little of a poker face he could hope to manage disappeared as he went wide eyed and mouthed in shock.

Mr. Lancer pointed to the restroom.

Danny's mouth snapped back shut. An out!

"Yeah," he agreed readily. "Yeah it is. Gotta go!"


	14. Ghost Hunteress of Jazz the Terrible

Contrary to what her little brother screamed, Jazz believed she was not at all terrible at ghost hunting.

* * *

"Don't worry Jazz, I got it. Keep the change Kevin," Sam told the boy at the counter. She traded him the cash for the ice cream, handing the chocolate to the red head. When Jazz looked ready to speak up at the payment, Sam shot her a look. "Seriously it's no problem."

The pair moved over to a small table with their bowls, spoons already at work.

"You know Jazz," Sam began as she slid onto the padded chair. "You really did a great job earlier today."

Swallowing, the older girl glanced up in confusion. "Why do you sound so surprised? Do you really believe the ghost fighting should only remain on Danny, Tucker, and your shoulders? You're only kids. Sure, you three have more experience, but some of these ghost fights can be extremely dangerous. I know now which adds another set of hands. And our mom and dad are competent…er, well, I see your point there, but they have been working on ghosts long enough that they **_are_** a force to reckon with."

A finger swiped off the splat of chocolate that hit her check when Jazz pointed her spoon. The red head flushed.

"Yeah," Sam drawled out. "Your parents. Sure. But seriously Jazz, I was surprised. I totally did not want you part of the Danny thing because last time you tried 'helping' us, Danny wound up in the thermos."

Jazz winced.

"Multiple times," Sam added dryly.

"Look, Sam, just because I had the trouble then, it doesn't mean that I'm terrible. I mean, I grew up in the same ghost obsessed household as Danny, didn't I?"

Pausing, Sam set her spoon back into her bowl and nodded slowly.

"I've even fought ghosts before helping out Danny and you guys," Jazz threw in. "When Danny and mom went on their trip, dad and I ended up having some bonding time of our own as ghost after ghost after ghost attacked our house. Together, dad and I fought every single one successfully. I even, for experimental reasons, put on one of mom's spare hazmat suits to get into the proper ghost fighting attire and mindset. Don't tell anyone that part. But I found that after all my time denying that part of my parents, I still had picked up ghost stuff and I was good. Can't get away from being a Fenton really."

Jazz smiled at that, glad at coming to terms with her family's nutball reputation and accepting herself and they for what they were. On the other side of the table, Sam's eyebrows furrowed down.

"Yeah…but then why…" Trailing off, Sam scooped up ice cream and pondered as her mouth slowly worked on the cold treat.

"You three never take me seriously, but I know I'm good at ghost fighting," Jazz stated manner-of-fact. "What was weird was how terrible of a job I was doing when I first gave it a go with you guys. And then the more I became determined to help Danny, the worse it became. But I figured out why and wanted to prove to you guys that I could help."

Scrapping at the last of her chocolate, Jazz finished it off before continuing.

"If it glows and flies, attack it. If it is a ghost, attack. It's advice that has been drilled into both Danny and I since young right along with fire drills. And it is wonderful advice, considering ghosts did wind up being real," Jazz admitted. "So Danny may have had issues figuring out how to use his powers in everyday life, but using them in fights with ghosts, those powers came easier. I asked him."

Sam nodded. "Danny's always had an easier time pulling out different abilities during a fight."

"And you said how well I did earlier today, another statement to how Danny and I were raised. The only difference is that if you compare Danny and I side by side, Danny will always appear better than I am. We both fight ghosts, but Danny will never have what mom and dad teach him fail. If it glows and flies, attack it. I do not glow and fly. Danny does."

Open mouthed, the goth girl gapped. "But he's your brother."

Jazz waved a finger. "A version of my brother that I was unfamiliar with at the time. And I was focused on helping Danny and strengthening my focus on him when I failed, that when I reacted to a ghost, the ghost I kept hitting was always Danny. Danny probably would have done the same if our roles had been switched and I was the one flying about. But it's not an issue now that I am more familiar to his black hazmat suit and white hair."

The red head beamed brightly; pleased her reactions had been retrained to that exception. Because her little brother was exceptional.

Sam sat in stunned silence.

"You are probably the best, and the only one who has, in easily taking out Danny."

Smiling a bit, Jazz stood and teased the other girl.

"Well, yes. That is why I am Ghost-Getter number one."


	15. Teachers are stupid (Steadfast)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

After he sucked the Box Ghost into the cylindrical container of doom and escaped the danger of his own parents, Danny ran back to his parents. Mr. Lancer said words of assurance to his parents about how he had just told them that their son was fine and merely using the restroom.

Danny glanced curiously at the man. Lancer covered for him? While he didn't know for sure if Mr. Lancer had figured it all out or just that Danny helped Phantom in some way, it was weirdly pleasant to have an adult on his side for ghost activities.

Sam and Tucker, they had his back with this stuff. Jazz had even started piping in and offering excuses whenever he ran off. She was pretty observant, but Danny thought his big sister was just rolling with the change. Vlad knew but wasn't an adult to be trusted. Then any other adults were pretty much untrustable when it came to the Phantom side of things. Not that he really blamed them. To do that would be blaming his parents too. But in general, adults lay way on the other side of the line with a different sort of power and considered to be stupid with anything of real importance.

"Hey Mr. Lancer. You should get that bookcase over there," Danny pointed out.

"And why's that Mr. Fenton?"

Danny offered the older man a smile. "Because it held up under attack."

"I'll hold you to that Mr. Fenton. If that bookcase is ever destroyed in my classroom, I will hold you to that."


	16. Citizens always flee ghost towns (Duo)

Contrary to reputation and citizens always fleeing from ghost towns, Amity Park was a nice place to live.

* * *

Racing up the steps of Casper High School, the blonde beauty caught sight of the famous duo. Pearly whites shone. "Good morning Tory!"

The brunette turned. "Morning Brianna."

"Hey Dani."

"Blondie," the other replied simply. Her nose wrinkled at the intrusion, words stashed behind pursed lips. Brianna paused, unsure of what she had done to annoy the more vocal of the duo, but shrugged it away.

"How was your weekend?"

The dark haired girl beamed at the question, annoyance flashing away. Brianna grinned back glad at her amazing luck. While famous, the duo were B-Listers. Worth including and invites, but not top of school material. Personally, Brianna adored the duo rather than the older trio. With Tory such a peacemaker, she was recognized and at disadvantage. That girl could get along with anyone. No tough skin for the harsh realities of cliques. But Brianna adored Tory for her kindness. It was a strength of its own.

"I was just talking about it," Dani responded brightly. "And my weekend was _awesome_. No ghost issues, which super boring, but me and my favorite sister and brother got all dolled up for the most epic family photos ever. Totally not a _drag_," she claimed. The girl nudged her best friend with a grin. "I'm so letting _you_ in on the secret when they come out."

Tory smiled back easily. "I look forward to it Danielle."

Her best friend scowled, playfully poking. "You're so lucky you're you."

Brianna laughed, tucking her blonde strands back. True. No one but Tory got away with calling the stubborn and willful Dani by full name.

Fierce and loyal, Dani was quick to react and speak. Opinionated. Several other A-Listers tended not to get over that. After four years of school together, that girl had managed to offend everyone in the class. But it was that same reason she was the defender to Tory's peacekeeper. They balanced each other out, together balancing Amity Park.

"Oh sure, laugh it up blondie," snarked Dani. "You're not so lucky that you're her."

"Danielle."

"Fine." Blue sleeves crossed across a chest. The pout didn't last long as per typical Dani fashion, she spurred on. "So, the other two still haven't shown up. Which is weird, right? Think I need to go to the Ghost Zone and see what's going on?"

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Tory assured her.

Dani's shoulders fell. Brianna laughed. "I think Dani wanted a fight."

"Exactly! It _was_ a boring weekend," Dani agreed with Brianna quickly. "I'm thinking maybe Walker tried to get Wulf again."

"Walker hasn't been an issue since the rules were publicized across the Ghost Zone."

"Or maybe Skulker went overboard with his hunting," Dani continued. "Or maybe the vultures reappeared. Or Boxy went back to taking over with—"

"Good morning Box Ghost."

"Beware and greetings Tortoise," he exclaimed back brightly. The claw ripped ghost portal disappeared behind him. Dani threw her hands into the air at the sight of him. Brianna laughed. It was no secret the Box Ghost had long made favorites with the ghost representative of Amity Park and enjoyed antagonizing the young defender. "For I have come bearing one most prized!"

"Um, it isn't the Lunch Lady is it?"

Brianna fought a wince at the memory. Dani outright scoffed. "Yeah, like that trial worked well. Lunchy works best with lots of meat and with Doraoooh! Boxy! She's cute!"

Pulling the child around him, the Box Ghost steered the child forward with pride. "This is our daughter Box Lunch! I, the Box Ghost, tell her all about you and what you have done for me! Box Lunch has been demanding to meet Tortoise!"

With a determined scowl, the small ghost girl flew to Tory and pushed an object into her hands. Dani snorted, looking away as she laughed, yet the Box Ghost still went off on her about it. Brianna barely glanced over at the typical arguments and insulting digs they shot each other, peering at Tory's gift curiously. It was, not that surprisingly, a lunch box. Carefully designed with the briefest sheen of a sparkle in the intricate yellow lines, was a darling box tortoise. Inspecting it with a turn, 'Tory' was written in cursive letters on the other side.

"Thank you Box Lunch," Tory thanked sincerely with a smile. "I'll be sure to use it well. Did you make it yourself?"

Pig tails bobbed.

Brianna broke. "Can you make me one?"

The tiny ghost girl broke, her scowl disappearing into a shy smile.

"You are totally being added to my list of reasons why Amity Park is a great place to live," Brianna gushed. She flashed a bright smile at Box Lunch, swearing she saw a blush. "The best moving service of literally flying them in and out, a ghost teacher who gives the best accounts of history around, and the famous duo responsible for creating the harmony with the supernatural to give that sort of one of a kind unrivaled fantasy experience."

The duo stared at Brianna. Dani's face went red. "And this is why I'm not ever gunna be best friends with you blondie," she sputtered out angrily with a pointing finger. "You're such a squealing and fainting fangirl."

Brianna sniffed, putting her nose in the air. "I don't faint Dani. And that doesn't change the fact Amity Park has a waiting list to live here."

Both went deep red. With a snarl, Dani dragged Tory inside, complaining and insulting the blonde A-Lister the entire time. It was far, far too much fun to fangirl and sing praise to her real life heroes. Brianna grinned and flounced into the school building to get to her first class with Ghost Writer.


	17. Teachers are stupid (Failure)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Secretly, Danny became aware of what he was doing. And by Mr. Lancer's grins and dry remarks, he was aware of it too. Danny made sure ghost attacks never hit that classroom.

After all, the bookcase decorated with the Milky Way sat inside and Danny considered it fully his. He'd even named it, taped the name on it too.

It was the bookcase full of books containing adventures and journeys. It was where Danny had sneaked a few superhero comic books with their journeys. Where Mr. Lancer then added the 'Tales of Danny Phantom: Articles, Stories, and Theories from Amity Park Citizens' book next to where Danny had put the comic books. Volume one from before and volume two released after the secret came out. Tucker and Sam had been hinting lately at adding their own adventure book to the shelf too.

When Johnny 13's shadow took out the Space Shelf near the end of Danny's senior year, he wasn't in the least bit pleased.

But when Mr. Lancer reminded him that he was holding him accountable on the bookcase being destroyed in his classroom and then smiling, Danny wasn't the least bit reassured.


	18. He never pays attention to parental work

Contrary to what Danny believed, he actually did pay attention to his parents' work.

* * *

Scribbling fiercely and desperately playing catch up from a busy weekend of ghost fighting and thoughts of fun, Danny's focus remained firmly on his homework. Sort of. He was vaguely aware of Sam and Tucker starting up an argument behind him, their homework done. And although he was going quickly, he wasn't paying the closest of attention to the detail of his work. Well he was at least writing! Give him some credit.

'It was during this time that the trade of…'

"Salt just seems silly Sam."

'…salt went up for the settlers…'

"And Dean are characters who fight ghosts, demons, and other paranormal things in the book series."

'…due to the increase of ghost activity…'

"Ask Danny's parents about iron and pure things."

'…noticed by hunters who laid down an iron pentagon…"

"Danny."

Danny jolted a bit, glancing up at Sam and Tucker staring at him. "Just a second," he said and absentmindedly finished his sentence. "Protecting everyone inside miles of affected area. Okay, what was it?"

Tucker leaned over his work. "What did you just write down for the trade history of Wyoming?"

He looked back down, rereading it. "Whoops. Totally wasn't paying attention to that one. What were you two arguing about anyway? I caught pieces of it."

"Sam's book," Tucker answered. "It goes on about how pure things like salt and iron are used by the hunters in there to fight ghosts."

"The two brothers, Dean and Sam were raised to fight them that way along with other supernatural creatures," Sam explained further. "I checked online and it seems to be a topic discussed several times, so I wondered if there was any truth to it."

"Yeah," he responded. "It's the old and traditional method. Which is why my parents are considered nuts with not just most normal people but most hunters in general with their scientific methods of using ecto…"

Danny trailed off and blinked.

"Wait. Are you talking about Sam and Dean? They are uh…John's kids. Yeah. Pretty sure his first name was John."

"You've read—"

"Not a pleasant guy," Danny drifted on to himself towards the wall. "Yelling at my parents about some demony thing in Amity Park."

His two friends gapped at him. He looked back from talking at the wall to catch the look, scowling. Danny quickly defended himself on his knowledge. "I _only_ remember 'cause Jazz's first crush was on crushable Sam. Ah boy," he sighed. "Was that a fun few weeks when I noticed _that_ one. She went dumb silent."

He snickered at the memory. Tucker's face lit up a bit. "I remember that. We escaped a bad babysitting time with Jazz by mentioning his name."

"They're _real_?" Sam sputtered out.


	19. Teachers are stupid (Retake)

Contrary to what their students believed, the teachers of Casper High School were not stupid.

* * *

Getting Dani and her friend to wrangle the Space Shelf back to life thanks to Desiree was easy. Getting Sam to not give him a makeover by pointing out the girly nature was impossible. Tucker even laughed, reminding Danny of how Sam had been in charge of Tucker's own gothic makeover. Danny groaned.

But wielding weapons of words, he made sure he wasn't going down alone.

Jazz had actually been easy to take down. He had reminded Dani that she was a Fenton and she dragged her big sister right into it with puppy eyes.

Of course, they all had to promise to not say a word to the student body that still believed Mr. Lancer had a sister, but the punishment Danny was taking was practically worth it to see his teacher in drag. With Sam's resources, he actually looked like a passable lady rather than a strange looking tomboy woman.

Tucker and Sam giggled like maniacs behind the camera.

"It's not just your parents, all you Fentons are weird."

Dani beamed at the inclusion. It beat the embarrassment of what Tucker said and Danny smiled at the younger girl's delight. Jazz kept a fixed smile for the entire clicking time.

"Now, now, now," said a high falsetto voice. "Don't be making fun of my children. We're all weird. Now children, don't forget to say 'drag' instead of 'cheese' or 'ghost'. Three, two, one. Draaag!"

All three Fentons died, figuratively, of laughter as they sputtered it out.

"Ha," Mr. Lancer said dryly. "Who said I was a drag?"

"Oh, not us Mr. Lancer," Sam and Tucker chimed in together.


End file.
